We use social innovation and design methods to envision future systems and approaches that meet the unique needs of local students. We promote adoption of innovative practices that rethink the way things are and open a path to new solutions. We draw inspiration from and build upon the expertise of a few key organizations and publications, including:


Guiding Practices

The Bright Futures initiatives fosters progress and community action in five primary ways:

Shared Vision & Goals: We agreed on a shared vision for education in our community and developed shared goals, across multiple organizations. We work to achieve those goals using shared action plans, resources and measures of success. This requires high-levels of collaboration across various organizations and community sectors that often work independently.

Data: We use data, research and data-based practices to discover and measure what works. We use and share data and feedback from students and the people most vested in their learning to produce clear insights about their needs and root causes of challenges they face.

Equity: We prioritize the closing of disparity gaps for those children that have less opportunity or advantaged for learning. They need more supports in order to keep up with their more privileged peers, so we prioritize solutions that specifically meet the needs of these children, making them the priority.

Innovation: We use innovation and design methods to envision future systems and approaches that meet the unique needs of local students. We promote adoption of innovative practices that rethink the way thing are and open new potential

Solutions: Together with many partners and investors, we collect and promote a growing portfolio of solutions that work. We shed light on existing practices that yield results and we also cultivate new solutions from diverse community members. Working with program partners, we apply disciplined criteria to develop and mature potential solutions into prototypes, detailed proposals, pilots, and implementation projects, measuring along the way to ensure the solutions yield results.

Measurement

What gets measured get done so we will track our progress toward goal achievement over time. We invite all community members and organizations who can create positive change toward achieving these goals to do so in the spirit of shared accountability. Together we will track collective progress with a community scorecard that tells how we are doing and inspires to continuously improve.

Stanford Social Innovation Review

Stanford Social Innovation Review logoStanford Social Innovation Review is an award-winning magazine and website that covers cross-sector solutions to global problems. SSIR is written for and by social change leaders in the nonprofit, business, and government sectors who view collaboration as key to solving environmental, social, and economic justice issues. Published at the Stanford Center on Philanthropy and Civil Society at Stanford University, SSIR bridges academic theory and practice with ideas about achieving social change. SSIR covers a wide range of subjects, from microfinance and green businesses to social networks and human rights. Its aim is both to inform and to inspire. Learn more and subscribe to their email updates here.

Annie E. Casey Foundation

Annie E. Casey Foundation logoSince 1948, the Annie E. Casey Foundation has been devoted to creating a brighter future for children who are at risk of poor educational, economic, social and health outcomes by focusing on strengthening families, building stronger communities and ensuring access to opportunity, because children need all three to succeed.

Bright Futures align with their grade-level reading goals and initiative. Annie E. Casey Foundation has brilliant media content and we encourage our community members to retweet it. Below are two links to reports written about the importance of reading.

The First Eight Years | Giving Kids a Foundation for Lifetime Success

Early Reading Proficiency in the United States | A KIDS COUNT Data Snapshot